Black Duck Software, the leading global provider of software component management solutions, today announced that its founder and CEO, Douglas Levin, is testifying today before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The committee’s chairman, Senator John Kerry, invited Levin to discuss the Internet’s impact on businesses such as Black Duck and the need for more universal broadband access among emerging companies.

Levin will speak during a public hearing titled, "Improving Internet Access to Help Small Business Compete in a Global Economy,” which takes place today, September 26, 2007 at 10 a.m. eastern time inside the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. Other distinguished speakers at the hearing include Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, two commissioners from the Federal Communications Commission. The hearing will be broadcast online by visiting the committee website at http://sbc.senate.gov/.

According to a media alert issued by the committee: “The U.S. lacks an effective broadband strategy. Some government and business leaders caution that America’s economic competitiveness might be compromised because other countries are deploying robust broadband infrastructure that spurs innovation and job growth.”

“I want to thank Doug Levin for his contributions to our discussion about broadband access” said Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “Like Doug, I believe that it’s essential for America to have a national broadband strategy that encourages competition and expands broadband access. Massachusetts is one of the leading centers of technological innovation, yet less than half of our residents have high speed Internet access. We must not let the Bay State and the rest of America get left behind by failing to deploy universal broadband.”

“By virtue of the way Black Duck’s business has grown, there’s no question the insight we’ve gathered will be of use to the committee,” said Levin. “The composite software development our customers’ teams practice—and Black Duck helps manage—is made possible, in part, because of the Internet and its ability to connect individuals from around the world. Since Black Duck has matured well beyond its initial days, we have first-hand experience on how Internet access can help a company grow. I am honored to accept the invitation to speak before the Senate committee.”

About Black Duck Software
Black Duck Software™ is the leading global provider of managed software component solutions. The company helps organizations safely use open source and third-party code components while managing their software licensing obligations and mitigating business risks. Black Duck provides products and services that help enterprises, software developers, outsourcers, law firms and investors understand the composition and origin of software. By enabling organizations to fully manage component reuse within the software development lifecycle, Black Duck helps companies produce better quality software, reduce development and maintenance costs, and speed time-to-market. For more information, visit www.blackducksoftware.com.